Wannstedt isn't a reporter. He's an ex coach that was spouting off.
I never took him seriously, FWIW. And the difference is that it was the first time he'd ever weighed in on the subject.
Since the 2010 realignment, Greg Swaim has been posting realignment rumors under the auspice of having sources. He makes definitive statements that constantly don't happen. Not once, in 13 years, has he been right about anything. And people keep posting his links. As much as I dislike MHVer3, he's been fed accurate information 2-3 times over the past decade. Swaim has never been right about anything. Ever. And people keep posting it, discussing it, and treating it like he has a track record of knowing something.